Improvement in gas-retort chargers



A. Q. ROSS. Gas-Retort Chargers No.199Q-3l6. Patented Jan. 15, 1878.

N- PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPH ER. WASHINGTON. D. O.

UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFIcE.

ABBOTT Q. ROSS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

lM PROVEM ENT lNGAS-RETO RT CHARGERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 199,3l6, dated January'15, 1878; application filed April 21, 1877.

To all iohom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, ABBOTT Q. Ross, of

Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented an Improvementin Gas-Retort Chargers, 'of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists, first, of a retortcharging apparatus embracing,in its construcj tion,- a carriage or frame, a bar projecting, therefromand supported thereby, and a di-l vided scoop, pivoted to said bar, andarranged to open at the bottom by the swinging of its parts outward, thewhole being designed to carry coal into the retort without depending onthe latter for the support of any part of the in attaching a swingingplate to the forward end of the bar to which the two parts of the scoopare pivoted, which plate is used to discharge the fuel from open-backedor through retorts, and may be operated to rake the fuel from retortsopen at the front only.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myapparatus. Fig.2 is a detached view of a portion of the device foropening and closing the parts or sections of the scoop. Fig. 3 is across-section of the scoop and its supporting-bar. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section of the scoop through the pivots. Fig. 5 is across-section of the scoop, showing its two parts in a separatedposition.

A represents the mouth of one of the usual group of retorts of agas-works, and B is a truck, moving on ways 1), upon which my apparatusis built, the truck and ways enabling the apparatus to be movedconveniently from one retort to the others by any suitable steam or handmoving appliance. The truck B supports the bars or ways 0, upon whichthe frame'ofmy lon gitudinally-movin g scoop slides. D is the permanentframe of the scoop, attached by eyes at or otherwise to the ways G. Adrum, E, is journaled at one end of the truck B, and asheave-whee], F,at the other. Arope, G, secured to frame D, passes over the sheave F,and has one or more turns on drum E, so

that the revolution of drum E by hand or otherwise suffices to carry thescoop, which is secured to frame D,iu and out of the retort. At the endof frame D nearest the retorts a plate of metal,H,is secured, againstwhich the rear I ends of the sections of the scoop come in contaot, thisplate serving as a face-plate for the said ends to move on in theopening and closing of the scoop. To the frame D a stout bar, I, issecured, the bar entering a good distance into the frame, as shown bydotted lines, so that it may be capable of withstanding the strain dueto the weight of the scoop; the bar rigidly supporting said scoopindependent of other means, so that the scoop will not drag on thebottom of theretort, or the coals deposited therein, in its passage intoor withdrawal from the retort.

The scoop is composed of two or more parts, J J, which together form ahalf-circle or other suitable shape, with one or more dividinglines, X,at or near the bottom.

Each part of the scoop has quadrant-shaped end pieces a a, so that whenthe parts are closed together a receptacle suitable for receiving andretaining coal is provided. Each part is pivoted to the bar I, so as toswing outward on pivots c, to open and close the scoop. It is shown infull lines in Fig. 3 in the closed position, for the reception of coal,and in dotted lines, same figure, in the open position.

When the scoop is put into the retort the plate H abuts against the faceof the retort; and, in order that the coal mayznot be permitted to falltoo close to the mouth of the retort, I fill up this end of the scoopbyputting a partition, f, in each part, to prevent the coal occupyingthe space from 3 to z. The scoop may be filled with coal from a hopper,K, or otherwise.

At the forward 'end of bar I, I attach a swinging plate, L, which, whenthe retorts are opened at both ends, or, in other words, arethrough-retorts, may be used to force out the old charge as the scoop ismoving in to resupply it, the front of the plate being protected by afire-plate, g, and the rear having stops h, to rest against the scoop.

In retorts open only at the front end this plate L may be lifted bysuitable appliances when moving 'in with the scoop' open, and

forced down into the position of. a rake-head when in, so that themovement of the scoop backward may serve to rake out the old chargebefore the scoop is filled with the new charge.

M is a sliding bar, having a cross-head, m, to which are attached ropesor chains 43, which pass over sheaves j on frame -D, and are securedeach to the bottom of one of the parts J J so that the backward movementof the bar M may serve to open the scoop, and the forward movementpermit the scoop to close by the gravity of its own parts. A rib, K, isformed on the bar M, which, when the scoop is closed, is in such aposition that the gravitating bail N drops behind it, and holds it inplace against the action of the spring o, which, through its cord P oversheave Q, tends to open the scoop.

When the scoop filled with coal is moved into the retort for chargingthesame, it being small enough to enter freely, the ends of the bail N,when the scoop is near the end of its inward stroke, strike the inclinedplanes R on the truck, which causes the bail to rise and release the barM, so that the spring 0 is permitted'to open the scoop, and the coalthen falls through the then bottomless scoop onto the bottom of theretort, the scoop being then in a position to be Withdrawn freely overthe coals so deposited, the plate L rising on the return. When the scoopis nearing the termination of its backward or outward stroke, the bar Mstrikes the post S, and is forced again into the position shown inFigs.1 and 2.

Many of the forms of construction of my apparatus may, of course, bechanged Without departing from the essential features of my inventionincline or inclines It, the parts being connected and operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, substantially as specified, of the frame D, having aprojecting bar, I, the parts J J of the scoop pivoted to said bar, andthe swinging plate L carried on the end of said bar.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

ABBOTT Q. ROSS. Witnesses:

JOHN E. J ONES, BENJAMIN D. BARTON.

